Now, many people might think of the higher availability of different blockchain projects as a favorable factor. On the contrary, the massive portfolio of blockchain projects 2022 can be confusing for users. Do you want to opt for public blockchain projects that utilizes Ethereum? Or, do you want to utilize functionalities of private blockchain projects such as Fabric or Corda that have a better potential for revolutionizing the blockchain landscape? A blockchain project list can help you get rid of all your confusions and make the right choice when it comes to blockchain development.

On the other hand, some users or enterprises might be open to possibilities of switching to newly introduced blockchain projects. However, you are most likely to lose your direction along the way if you don’t have the right guidance. The following discussion outlines some of the notable alternatives that can be crucial for transforming your blockchain project ideas into reality.

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Top Blockchain Project Ideas for 2022

With the industry leaders taking initiatives from the front, many blockchain project ideas are slowly witnessing the light of the day. New blockchain-based projects are popping up for resolving the inefficiencies noted in the existing world. So, without wasting any further time, let us dive right into the list of best blockchain projects 2022.

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1. AP Moller-Maersk

An outline of the best blockchain project list would obviously point out to TradeLens, the enterprise blockchain of AP Moller-Maersk. The shipping and logistics giant based in Denmark, leverages its blockchain, TradeLens, for the digitalization of supply chain information. Following its launch in August 2018, TradeLens has emerged as one of the best blockchain project ideas in recent times.

It has been successful in onboarding almost 50% of container ships all over the world. TradeLens processed around 1 billion shipments, 12 million documents, and around 30 million containers in 2020 alone. The numbers of 2020 for TradeLens surpassed more than double the estimates of the previous year. Furthermore, Maersk has also collaborated with Microsoft for marine insurance processing by leveraging blockchain technology. 

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2. Baidu

China is one of the prominent regions in the world showcasing promising growth in the domain of blockchain innovation. The Chinese search engine, Baidu, alongside its associated fintech venture, Du Xiaoman Financial, has brought over 20 blockchain solutions together. The most notable mention among the blockchain project ideas introduced by Baidu and Du Xiaoman Financial refers to Libra Chain.

Presently, Libra Chain works as the infrastructure for three internet courts in China. The courts deal primarily with copyrights and e-commerce disputes by leveraging virtual litigation. Under the leadership of Wei Xiao, Libra Chain has been successful in supporting the filing of over 35 million pieces of electronic evidence at the Beijing Internet Court. 

3. Boeing

Another big enterprise blockchain that makes an entry among top blockchain project ideas in 2022 refers to SkyGrid of Boeing. The HorizonX venture arm of Boeing has invested considerable efforts in developing SkyGrid. It serves as a blockchain-powered air traffic control system for tracking and communicating with drones. Most important of all, SkyGrid has been successful in achieving the approval of the FAA for offering low-altitude authorization to drone pilots.

In addition, SkyGrid is also available as a free app on iPad. SkyGrid develops a permanent record of data for helping with package delivery and industrial inspections. By leveraging the power of blockchain platforms such as Hyperledger Fabric and Go Direct, SkyGrid holds the potential for powering autonomous flying taxis in the future. 

4. Credit Suisse

The capabilities of Credit Suisse to use Paxos Settlement Service clearly indicate another promising entry among blockchain project ideas. The major banking player, based in Switzerland, is also capitalizing on the capabilities of Enterprise Ethereum alongside Paxos Settlement Service. Credit Suisse utilizes the Paxos Settlement Service for settling US-listed stock trades with the Instinet of broker-dealer Nomura.

The blockchain technology offered by the Swiss banking giant could help participants with the direct settlement of trades with each other. As a result, it can reduce the intervention of conventional intermediaries thereby speeding up the settlement. 

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5. Honeywell

Honeywell has also emerged as one of the pioneers of enterprise blockchain technology alongside other top names in the tech domain. It is a renowned industrial conglomerate, has successfully migrated over 2 million aviation quality documents to a blockchain ledger platform. Honeywell has capitalized on the capabilities of Hyperledger Fabric for achieving the successful migration of aviation quality documents.

As a result, it can ensure the complete availability of aviation quality documents to its customer base. Honeywell also runs the blockchain-powered marketplace named GoDirect Trade. GoDirect Trade lists around $4 billion in used aviation components and has been successful in attracting over 10,000 users.

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6. IBM Corporation

IBM was one of the first major enterprises to focus on blockchain project ideas on a large scale. With the IBM Blockchain already making news across various circles, IBM has introduced the new Digital Health Pass application. The Digital Health Pass application helps organizations in verifying the COVID-19 test of an individual alongside their temperature results.

Customers such as stadium operators could select their own criteria for using the Digital Health Pass application. For example, stadium operators could select the criteria of whether a person was vaccinated. The Digital Health Pass project depends on Hyperledger Fabric and the IBM Blockchain. 

7. ING Group 

ING Group qualifies as one of the first banks to adopt blockchain technology. Presently, it utilizes blockchain platforms such as Hyperledger Fabric, Corda, Hyperledger Indy, Ethereum, and Quorum for leading a group of financial organizations. Together with other financial institutions, ING Group spearheads the authentication of digital-assets while ensuring compliance with global standards against money laundering.

They recently launched a project called Bulletproof, which is a better iteration of zero-knowledge proofs. It’s an extension, and it allows better data security and privacy within any distributed ledger technology. In reality, Bünz et al at Stanford, Blockstream and UCL worked with ING to launch this project for a better ZKP implementation.

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8. Microsoft

The world’s leading tech giant, Microsoft is also not far behind when it comes to blockchain project ideas. Microsoft has partnered with EY for developing one of its notable blockchain applications by leveraging Ethereum and Quorum blockchains.

The blockchain application features the capabilities for managing content rights and royalties. Game publishers such as Ubisoft and Xbox were the foremost users of the new blockchain system of Microsoft. In comparison to traditional processing, the new blockchain system of Microsoft for making automatic royalty payments. 

9. Novartis

Novartis has taken the leading stance in blockchain project development in the pharma sector. As one of the leading pharma companies, Novartis is a prominent member of an EU-based blockchain consortium focused on targeting outdated or incorrect information related to prescription inserts. Novartis partnered with Merck and the Polytechnic University of Madrid for coming up with one of the unique blockchain project ideas in the pharma sector – PharmaLedger.

The blockchain-based application of Novartis helps in scanning drug packages alongside making real-time requests to manufacturers for updated information. Patients can also access the information through scan codes. The PharmaLedger consortium is also looking for innovative uses of blockchain for fighting against counterfeit and black-market medications.

10. Samsung

The IT branch of Samsung i.e. Samsung SDS has developed various blockchain projects for local hospitals, airports, and governments. Samsung is capable of making the most of the Nexledger blockchain platform to mark its presence in the blockchain ecosystem. Among the different blockchain projects of Samsung, the foremost entry refers to a one-stop medical claims processing service. The service enables patients for submitting claims at a hospital reception center or through a mobile or at a kiosk. 

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11. Swisscom

Switzerland-based telecom giant, Swisscom, is also one of the prominent players experimenting with new blockchain project ideas. Presently, Swisscom has around 11 blockchain applications that are at different stages of development. Swisscom utilizes notable enterprise blockchain platforms such as Hyperledger Fabric, Hyperledger Indy, Hyperledger Ares, and Corda.

One of their most significant blockchain projects is the platform Swisscom Blockchain. This project offers various products such as Electronic seal, node as a service, and Swiss Trust Chain. All of these products are geared towards Swiss companies and the public sector to offer a better blockchain infrastructure for application development.

12. Tencent

Based in China, Tencent is also a significant player in the domain of new blockchain projects. The most crucial advantage for Tencent as a developer of new blockchain project ideas is the blockchain it has developed. The blockchain developed by Tencent helps the tax authority of Shenzhen to issues around 10 million invoices. Furthermore, Tencent has also established WeBank, which offers a unique blockchain platform known as FISCO BCOS or Be Credible, Open & Source. Financial Blockchain Shenzhen Consortium (FISCO) has a member of more than 100 Chinese companies.

The interesting highlight about the blockchain project of Tencent is that over 2000 enterprises use FISCO BCOS. In addition, it also features WeIdentity, which has helped in processing over 17 million border crossings between mainland China and Macao. The other blockchain project of Tencent, WeSign, helps in reducing the arbitration processing time. As a result, it finds applications in Chinese courtrooms for recording various pieces of evidence. 

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13. Visa

The array of blockchain project ideas in the present times also brings the name of Visa to mind. The vast network of Visa access points, including around 70 million merchant locations serves as its foremost strength. Central banks are gradually turning their focus towards minting digital currencies. So, Visa is trying to capitalize on extensive R&D for ensuring the safe flow of digital money beyond its margins.

One of the notable projects of Visa is “Visa B2B Connect.” It uses blockchain infrastructure from Chain to offer a better financial solution in cross-border payments. In reality, this project can offer a cost-effective, secure, transparent, and fast way to process all global payments.

Visa has already applied for 159 blockchain-based patents for different uses. Some of the notable examples of the uses of Visa blockchain projects include the use of biometrics for verifying an individual’s identity and improving the security of transactions. Visa has recently declared an associated with US Dollar Coin or USDC, a stable coin for increasing the speed of business-to-business payments. 

14. MetLife

MetLife is working on a bunch of blockchain project ideas, and one of them is Vitana. Recently, MetLife’s Singapore based technology research facility LumenLab released a whitepaper for the Vitana project.  It’s a project geared towards parametric insurance.

In reality, this project is focused on blockchain for insurance and plans to use the technology for other insurance features. At the moment, this project is focusing on gestational diabetes mellitus that happens in pregnant women. It’s a very harmful disease and needs further financial assistance in terminating it.

Thus, MetLife is using Vitana to offer insurance specifically for pregnant women to help them battle this condition if it arises.

15. Walmart

Discussions on blockchain project ideas could never miss out on the Food Traceability Initiative of Walmart. The retail giant employs the blockchain-based Food Traceability Initiative for detecting contamination alongside other issues for food safety. It has the capability of tracking almost 500 different items such as meat, fresh leafy greens, seafood, and coffee.

In the previous year, Walmart supported the FDA in six different food safety investigations. Interestingly, the Food Traceability Initiative blockchain application of Walmart enabled access to detailed information regarding the original source of contamination within an hour. Furthermore, Walmart plans to execute a pilot test with the US Customs and Border Protection for tracking imported goods. 

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16. BHP

The Australian mining biggie is also a significant entry among players innovating with new blockchain project ideas. BHP is leveraging blockchain for the digitization of various operations. Some of the notable operations under the scope of BHP’s blockchain transformation include verification of supplier identities and tracking ESG or environment, social and corporate governance attributes. One of the biggest blockchain projects used by BHP is MineHub. Using the platform the company has been successful in executing the first iron ore trade on the blockchain with China Baowu Steel in 2020.

17. Shell

Shell is working on a blockchain project where it’s developing a decentralized digital passport system. This is one of the few blockchain project ideas they are planning to work on at present. In this project, the company will authenticate all parts, equipment and products, creating a system of data streams where each data is safely processed and preserved.

We don’t know with which company Shell is working on this project, but they are redefining the way their supply chain works.

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18. Daimler

Daimler is one of the biggest automotive multinational corporations that manufacture luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz. Now, collaborating with Circulor, they are working on a blockchain project that will track the CO2 emission in their Cobalt supply chain process. The primary target is to focus on transparency and possible solutions to reduce the transmission of CO2. More so, they also want to track any amount of secondary material that may come with their Cobalt mining.

This is one of the projects that take an environment-friendly approach to eliminate CO2 or at least reduce the greenhouse effect for good.

19. HSBC

HSBC is undoubtedly one of the notable players in the financial domain with a vision for futuristic blockchain project ideas. The London-based bank leverages blockchain for improving the efficiency of its foreign-exchange flows throughout its global branches. As of recent reports, the blockchain ledger of HSBC has helped in settlement of almost 1.9 million trades with a nominal value of around $1.7 trillion.

But one of the prominent projects of HSBC is Digital Vault. It’s a blockchain-based platform that focuses on the digitalization of all transaction records of private placements. HSBC’s Securities Services unit (HSS) is behind this platform, and they want to ensure their investors can get access to data when the market is growing. More so, using Digital Vault, clients will get access to their private asset and the data such as real estate, debt or equity. Of course, everything is in digital form and fully secured.

20. LVMH

LVMH is a renowned luxury-goods conglomerate based in Paris. It is leveraging the features of blockchain for tracking products. Most important of all, the blockchain project of LVMH uses blockchain platform AURA for combating against counterfeiting of brands such as Bulgari and Louis Vuitton.

Interestingly, the blockchain platform AURA  has already registered almost 10 million luxury products. Developed with Microsoft and ConsenSys, the blockchain platform of LVMH establishes a new approach for combating counterfeit goods and safeguard brand integrity.   

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Why It’s Important to Take a Note of Blockchain Project Ideas

Now when we have gone through the different favorable alternatives in best blockchain projects 2022, it is important to look for reasons to do the same. Many people assume that blockchain technology is the key ingredient that would determine the future of the world of finance. Blockchain project ideas can be extended beyond the world of finance, largely on the basis of blockchain capabilities for cost reduction and limited processing times.

At the same time, the transparency benefits associated with blockchain also promote its adoption across various industries. Previously we published the list of open-source Blockchain projects, with some of the leading sectors favoring blockchain integration including automobile, tech manufacturing and banking.

Additionally, big players in the tech industry such as IBM and Amazon have come up with blockchain solutions tailored for direct as well as indirect customers. Amazon gives unique blockchain extension services on Amazon Web. At the same time, IBM has developed the IBM blockchain.

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Which Blockchain Project Ideas did You Like the Most?      

On a concluding note, it is clearly evident that blockchain project ideas for 2022 feature many promising mentions. However, many tools could not make it to this list, while some are still in the development stages. The gradually increasing interest in blockchain is one of the reasons for emphasizing blockchain projects in present times. Most important of all, blockchain is open source in nature, and it is possible to find out blockchain projects that fit your organization’s transformation goals.

In addition, many blockchain projects are changing the conventional assumptions about blockchain applications. Rather than just providing platforms for exchanging or mining cryptocurrency, blockchain projects are turning attention towards predictions and information. The future of blockchain and blockchain professionals is so bright.

The post Top 20 Promising Blockchain Projects in 2022 appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

The recent year has been a top-notch platform for evoking popularity around the distributed ledger technology, otherwise known as the blockchain. The global pandemic has given a formidable boost to trends that were already in place. Enterprises are investing more in pure R&D projects for achieving blockchain initiatives with better pragmatism and realism.

With a global event like the recent pandemic, it is reasonable to wonder about blockchain’s future in 2022. Blockchain has been a crucial player in driving the digital transformation required for accommodating the sudden rise in remote work settings. Since blockchain technology has been rightly touted as the technology of the future, it is important to focus on blockchain future predictions.

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What would be the Future of Blockchain Technology?

With many industries going through massive makeovers in response to the changes in the business environment, many blockchain enthusiasts and onlookers are worried about the future prospects for blockchain. The following discussion reflects some of the notable trends that could dictate the blockchain industry’s potential state in 2022.

• Blockchain and Governance Applications will Increase

One of the foremost trends that could dominate the future of blockchain in 2022 is the integration of blockchain in government agencies. The Finance Minister of Japan has recently recognized blockchain technology as an essential component in fighting continuously against the global pandemic. Government authorities in Columbia have also presented promises for supporting cryptocurrency and blockchain-based payment systems.

South Korea has been successful in bringing more than a million driver’s licenses on a blockchain-based system. Thailand is also planning on the introduction of a new juridical document storage solution based on blockchain. Furthermore, Vietnam has successfully adapted the use of akaChain, a dedicated blockchain platform, for the better digital transformation of the country.

Most important of all, China is preparing to issue a completely virtual cryptocurrency, with China being a prominent player in the world economy and politics. At the same time, blockchain can penetrate people’s day-to-day lives, thereby characterizing business knowledge in blockchain as an important soft force in international diplomacy. In addition, the use of blockchain in voting systems will also continue to be one of the notable trends in the future of blockchain.

• More Blockchain in Retail

2022 will obviously witness a large-scale rise in blockchain’s introduction in the retail sector for supply chain and inventory management capabilities. Starting in 2016, the collaboration of IBM and Walmart established the first step for bringing blockchain and retail together on the same page. As a result of the collaboration, the Food Trust blockchain emerged as the solution for tracking food products. Most recently, IBM has introduced a trade solution for freight management known as Tradelens in 2018 in partnership with Maersk.

The benefits of blockchain for the retail sector, especially notable players like Walmart, spell good news for blockchain’s future. Walmart has been able to utilize the blockchain platform for tracking their shipping alongside payment for around 70 shipping companies alongside multiple retailers. Other notable examples of the adoption of blockchain in the retail sector include Nestle, Amazon, Volvo, and Ford. Volvo and Ford’s notable automobile manufacturers leverage blockchain solutions for tracking the supply of cobalt used for lithium-ion batteries.

Nestle is presently running a pilot project based on blockchain for tracking the origin of baby milk and coffee. Amazon has been able to leverage blockchain solutions for controlling the supply of wine. Therefore, the blockchain predictions for 2022 primarily point out wide-ranging levels of inclusion. With almost $600 million in blockchain projects invested last year, blockchain’s future trends hold promises for rising investments.

• Most Projects Will Approach Production

The next important prediction for the future of blockchain for the next year points out to the fact that around 30% of blockchain projects worldwide will reach production stages. The realistic and pragmatic approaches to blockchain projects will be a primary driving factor for achieving this feat.

In addition, the requirement of faster time to market due to the pandemic and faster initiation of projects could also speed up blockchain projects towards production in limited timeframes. Furthermore, it is also expected that a major share of the networks that would shift from pilot to production would operate on enterprise blockchain platforms.

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• China Will Dominate Blockchain Space, Probably

The domination of China in the field of blockchain will also be one of the top predictions for the future of blockchain. China has included blockchain in the ‘new infrastructure’ initiative that focuses on the country’s digital infrastructure. The Chinese government plans to increase investments in the majority of provinces across different verticals.

Therefore, it is reasonable to expect a steady rise in the number of systems going into the production stage. However, the existing geopolitical scenario does not present adequate promises for the expansion of China’s global Blockchain Service Network. On the other hand of the spectrum, the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) also holds a prominent grip. Although EBSI can find explicit progress with pilot projects, it cannot achieve any major groundbreaking results due to conflicting interests and highly convoluted procurement processes.

• DeFi Will Continue to Increase

Many industry leaders have been open to the prospects of public blockchains in enterprise contexts regarding blockchain’s future. However, the introduction of DeFi has the potential for turning the attention away from public blockchains towards permissioned blockchains.

The total value of cryptocurrencies invested in Ethereum smart contracts in the early part of 2020 has crossed over $10 billion in such a short period of time.  Although this figure does not imply the amount invested by people in DeFi bets, it shows users’ interest in the bets. Therefore, one can clearly notice the continuously and steadily accelerating interest in DeFi.

In the future, the number of transactions beyond conventional mechanisms and medium would increase substantially. So, blockchain transactions can approach a particular inflection point where businesses, regulators, and political leaders would focus on DeFi.

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• Use of Blockchain for Social and Political Objectives

The application of blockchain in social and political activities could gain recognition among potential trends for the future of blockchain. Blockchain has been associated with the potential for transformation of supply chain management, reduction of identity theft, or digital rights management.

The primary elements in the blockchain that foster its applications in these areas include transparency and trust. Keeping in line with the same elements, blockchain technology applications for fighting misinformation gained attention in 2020. For example, the R&D team of The New York Times developed a prototype program for recording all activities with a photograph as metadata. Then, the program would display the information to users on their social media feeds.

As a result, the wider adoption of blockchain solutions can help in establishing better claim over photos and other content. With the rising use of blockchain technology, blockchain predictions for 2022 paint blockchain as an emerging tool for social change.        

• Interoperability with Traditional Banking and Financial Organizations

The future of blockchain in 2022 will also witness the interoperability of blockchains with conventional financial and banking organizations. Users are showcasing more trust in blockchain as compared to traditional banks. Therefore, banks are also increasingly adopting blockchain as a measure to reach out to their customers’ trust. So, 2022 will obviously witness continuity in this trend, with many notable names already diving into the use of blockchain.

JP Morgan presently uses blockchain for addressing automated margin payments. Northern Trust is presenting leveraging blockchain to test the trading of fractional bonds for retail investors. Santander has redeemed a $20 million-worth bond issued on the blockchain. Most important of all, HSBC has executed two letters of credit transactions on a blockchain between companies in the Gulf.

• New Projects Will Have a Tough Competition

There has been a considerable boost in the development of blockchain solutions. However, it does not dictate that the future of blockchain would have multiple applications within no time. The problems with some public blockchain networks recently showcase the need for reflecting on the state of the blockchain market in 2022.

First of all, EOS had issues with network centralization and congestion. Subsequently, the postponed updates for the Ethereum network have resulted in problems with smart contracts’ performance. Another example of blockchain platforms’ issues is TRON, which has been facing heat over critical code vulnerabilities.

Therefore, the public blockchain market will obviously witness steady growth in competition without any signs of subsiding. In such cases, the projects could be successful only if they are successful in resolving internal conflicts. Furthermore, new blockchain projects in 2022 will have to take new approaches to using blockchain technology into consideration.

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Final Words

The year 2020 is about the end and is definitely a clarion call for reflecting on the possible future of blockchain. As evident from this discussion, blockchain trends for 2022 showcase multiple promises. Simultaneously, the predictions for blockchain in 2022 also bring attention to setbacks that require immediate attention. Understanding blockchain industry trends and reviewing the expected future trends can help with better results in a blockchain career.

Furthermore, staying updated with industry trends is also a helpful booster for students aspiring for blockchain certifications. On a concluding note, you can clearly notice blockchain’s potential for dominating the technology sector in the future. Not to mention, the importance of Blockchain certifications will increase subsequently in 2022, so if you want to have a bright career, choose one of the best blockchain certifications and become a Certified Blockchain professional to get future-ready.

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

The post Future of Blockchain: Predictions for 2022 [UPDATED] appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

The year 2020 introduced the world to an extremely lethal pandemic and, at the same time, spurred the growth of the crypto and blockchain space. Some of the earliest examples of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, were created in the form of digital currencies. On the other hand, the latest additions among cryptocurrencies have been tailored for addressing real-world problems.

The debate between IOTA vs IOTEX has become quite popular with the increased trading of digital assets. IOTA and IOTEX are examples of cryptocurrencies with applications in the real world. Both the coins are great examples of solving real-world problems in specific industries, specifically the IoT industry in this case. 

IOTA is an old guard since 2017, and IOTEX explosively broke onto the screen in 2021. Going from 100mil market cap to hitting 2.5billion this November. 

Interestingly, IOTA and IOTEX are important aspects of the blockchain IoT interplay. However, they have a few differences among them on the grounds of certain factors other than the fact that they are run by different companies. Both of them are also different in terms of the rules for guiding their networks. 

Based on the difference between IOTA and IOTEX, investors have to find out the suitable crypto token from the IoT industry. The decision of choosing one alternative from IOTA or IOTEX is quite complicated, and you should rely on a detailed comparison of both of them. The following discussion offers you a detailed overview of an IOTEX vs IOTA comparison to find out the better alternative. 

Growth of IoT and Blockchain Interplay 

One of the foremost things you need to understand before diving into a detailed reflection on the IoT blockchain interplay. You could find different types of solutions, including NFTs, DeFi, and Play-to-Earn games evolving in the domain of blockchain. However, the most promising technological trend in recent times has been identified in the competition for connecting the Internet of Things or IoT.  Currently only IOTEX has live working applications. IOTA networking is still currently on test net when it comes to live projects. 

The example of autonomous vehicles is a clear example. While many would think that autonomous vehicles are all about vehicles driving on their own, the concept actually refers to a connected set of cars with single intelligence. All the cars running the same software could learn from each other. As a result, you can notice how the connected intelligence and a network provide a formidable instrument for combating the monopolies by big tech software companies. 

Connecting the dots for blockchain IoT relationships might seem like another innovative exercise with technology. Surprisingly, the interplay between both of them has opened up new opportunities in the number of trillions of dollars. Most importantly, the early investors alongside supporters of the winning network in IOTA vs IOTEX debates. Investors with plans for a multi-year time horizon would definitely look up to an IoT platform as a vital portfolio addition. Therefore, a detailed comparison between IOTA and IOTEX can help you find a suitable choice for your investment portfolio. 

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What is IOTA?

IOTA is the past leader of IoT Blockchain race, which you can also think of as a distributed ledger technology. In terms of market capitalization, the value of IOTA is almost $3.6 billion. Interestingly, it also successfully garnered a massive valuation of almost $15 billion during the peak of the 2017-18 season. As a matter of fact, IOTA found a place in the top five entries among crypto market capitalizations. But it has lost momentum since then due to their lack of progress and repeated failure to deliver promised projects. 

The most viable practice for achieving a massive market capitalization in 2017 focused largely on developing consensus protocols. The scalability flaws with Ethereum presented the perfect opportunity for layer-1 competitors to fulfill all the discrepancies. 

Another important highlight of IOTA in an IOTEX vs IOTA comparison would refer to the use of a Directed Acyclic Graph or DAG. IOTA uses a DAG, termed Tangle, which could help in processing thousands of transactions in one second. As a result, it could include all IoT-based applications in its scope. 

The Directed Acyclic Graph or DAG is basically a relational database, which you can update easily. In theory, you can update the database at lightning speeds. However, the law of compensation in the crypto world directly points out possibilities for increased centralization with faster transactions. 

IOTA also had its fair share of setbacks, such as pausing the network for more than 20 days following a wallet hack in 2020. On top of it, IOTA has not delivered successfully on its different promises with years of promises and no deliverables since 2017, thereby leading to its downfall. IOTA registered one of its worst performances in the 2020-2021 Bull Run and slipped down to 50th position in terms of market capitalization. 

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Will IOTA Fade Away?

On the other hand, IOTA shows exceptional promise for coming out as a better choice from the IOTA vs IOTEX comparison. IOTA has shown exceptionally promising prospects through launching its 1.5 variant. The network was previously capable of managing 5 to 20 transactions per second. As a result, the nodes which run older node software can experience difficulties with over 40 transactions per second.     

The 1.5 network includes upgraded Hornet nodes alongside better milestone selection algorithms and tip selection. Furthermore, the inclusion of a white flag along with these enhancements has improved the network’s capability for managing more than 1000 transactions per second. While IOTA looks like a favorable choice now in IOTEX vs IOTA debates with the 1.5 network, it does not feature EVM compatibility (IOTA Mainnet also does not have smart contracts). In addition, the 1.5 network also takes away the decentralization aspect, which is a huge turn-off for majority of external blockchain developers. 

Just as IOTA started experiencing troubles with the 1.5 network, it has shifted to IOTA 2.0. With an improved focus on the new upgrade, IOTA could move up in terms of efficiency and functionality. Without any competition, IOTA could follow a laid-back approach for developing the IOTA 2.0. On the other hand, competition is the first reason for which we are looking for differences between IOTA and IOTEX.

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What is IOTEX?

The second player in the debate, i.e., IOTEX, is basically an open-source and decentralized platform focused on empowering open economies for machines in the IoT landscape. IOTEX focuses on the primary objective of fostering an ecosystem for enabling people and machines to interact with free will and guaranteed trust. Many people asking questions like “Is IOTA same as IOTEX?” should know that IOTEX focuses more on real-world deployment. Without any marketing or claims about transaction speed, it is building up slowly in silence. 

The two cutting-edge devices in IOTEX are the prominent highlights which make it stand out in IOTA vs IOTEX debates. The two devices are Ucam and Pebble Tracker. Ucam is basically a home security camera leveraging a blockchain private key rather than password login credentials. Therefore, the data collected by the device would stay under the control of the device owner.

Pebble Tracker, on the other hand, is an all-in-one hardware oracle leveraging a security element for verifying sensor data. The security element in Pebble Tracker is a black box that you can find in the device processor or Trusted Execution Environment. You can plug the sensor data directly into a smart contract without leveraging third-party oracle services such as Chainlink. Presently, one could only imagine the exceptional value of such real-world oracles in the crypto landscape. 

You can also find answers to “Is IOTA same as IOTEX?” with the comprehensive ecosystem of DeFi and dApps. It also features an ideally optimized Uniswap-style exchange known as mimo. In addition, IOTEX has also launched a new play-to-earn dApp, known as “StarCrazy.” At the same time, it has also fostered a fast-growing community of third-party developers a well as dApps for healthcare and gaming sectors. 

Is IOTEX a Better Alternative than IOTA?

While IOTEX offers many new functionalities alongside tapping into the DeFi and dApps sector, it is important to wonder whether it is the alternative to IOTA. However, a fair IOTEX vs IOTA comparison would show that IOTEX also has some setbacks. For example, it has a long way to go in the matter of adoption. 

In addition, IOTEX requires a lot of devices => IoTeX, from zero devices connected to their platform to 10,000 in one year. IOTA in one year has zero devices connected to their platform. That’s what would be fair to say. before declaring complete victory over IOTA in the case of real-world devices. On the other hand, it is also important to note that IOTEX is the first IOT blockchain to achieve a Coinbase listing. Therefore, it can be quite difficult to find out which one is a better choice between IOTA and IOTEX. 

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Differences between IOTA and IOTEX – IOTA vs IOTEX

If you want to find out which blockchain IOT platform would work for you, then you need to find the differences between them. Investors could look for specific factors in each platform for determining the ideal choice for their investment portfolio. Here are some of the important pointers for differentiating between IOTA and IOTEX to find a suitable alternative. 

• Liquidity 

Liquidity basically refers to the feasibility of converting an asset to cash on demand. The IOTA vs IOTEX comparison turns in favor of IOTEX. You can easily determine the liquidity in a specific crypto market by reviewing the trading volume of tokens of platforms. 

As of now, IOTEX boasts of a trading volume of $204,900,438 in a 24-hour period. On the other hand, the trading volume of IOTA in a 24-hour period is $95,929,539. You can clearly notice the huge difference of $108,970,899. When you look at the performance of IOTA and IOTEX in terms of liquidity, the trading volume of IOTEX has increased by almost 79%, while IOTA has registered a growth of 28.25%. 

• Rank in the Market

The next important factor in the difference between IOTA and IOTEX is their market capitalization or rank in the market. Market capitalization could also showcase a lot about the possibilities for choosing IoT blockchain platforms. IOTA has the upper hand over IOTEX in the case of market capitalization. 

IOTEX has a market cap of almost $977,038,586 as of now in comparison to the $3,933,664,417 market cap of IOTA. IOTA presently ranks at 50th position among cryptocurrencies while IOTEX rests at the 113th position. However, you should also look for the important highlights of growth in market capitalization before choosing a blockchain IoT platform. 

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• Levels of Adoption

The IOTA vs IOTEX debate also takes the levels of adoption of both blockchain networks into considerations. However, it can be difficult to figure out the exact levels of cryptocurrency adoption. You need insights for predicting whether a coin has been rejected or accepted. The difference between IOTA and IOTEX in terms of adoption turns out as a blurred line. 

IOTA has been appreciated by many participants in the IoT landscape, while IOTEX is also performing quite effectively. In addition, you can also use specific indicators like performance and trading volume for determining the acceptance or rejection of cryptocurrencies. The performance and trading volume of IOTA and IOTEX can also showcase proof of their utilization in projects outside and within its own platforms. 

• Latest Performance Trends

The performance of a crypto asset in the market is also one of the important factors for differentiating between them. You could find a suitable blockchain IoT platform only by checking how its coin is performing in the market. Interestingly, you could discover different approaches for determining the performance of cryptocurrencies. 

Many people focus on the price of the crypto token of the IoT blockchain platform to determine the best choice. The higher price of tokens surely implies that more people are buying the tokens. Price-performance is the easiest metric for tracing the performance of IOTA and IOTEX in comparison to other factors. 

The price-performance factor places IOTA on the top in the IOTA vs IOTEX comparison. As of now, the trading price of one IOTA token is $1.42, while that of one IOTEX token is $0.1025. Therefore, IOTA has been a leader in latest performance trends when compared to IOTEX. 

• Market Reputation

The reputation of a blockchain IoT platform matters a lot for investors before diving into it. Blockchain platforms with bad reputations might not attract any investors for their tokens. Therefore, reputation is quite vital in the crypto space and an important differentiator in the IOTEX vs IOTA debates. You can track the reputation of a blockchain platform by reviewing its background and recent performance trends. 

First of all, the reputation of the teams running IOTA and IOTEX bring both of them on the same page. With experienced and innovative teams behind each platform, it is quite hard to differentiate them on the basis of their founders. However, the IOTA vs IOTEX comparison might take other factors into account for determining market reputation. For example, IOTA leverages a Directed Acyclic Graph or DAG known as Tangle for connecting smart devices in IoT to crypto ecosystems.

On the other hand, IOTEX has also showcased favorable prospects in connecting IoT and blockchain, albeit at a slower pace. IOTA has a better market reputation in terms of capitalization, volatility, and price. However, the recent slump in IOTA’s performance during 2020-2021 Bull Run is an alarming factor. IOTEX, on the other hand, is venturing into the field of play-to-earn games and DeFi, thereby creating new opportunities. 

• Security

One of the most important aspects for determining the difference between IOTA and IOTEX would refer to security. All the crypto platforms feature unique and different security features alongside notable vulnerabilities. IOTA leverages a Directed Acyclic Graph rather than a blockchain. Even if it is strong, it can still be vulnerable to manipulations and attacks. However, the IOTA developer team has included the proof-of-work consensus algorithm for validating transactions, thereby improving the security levels. 

On the other spectrum of the IOTA vs IOTEX debate in terms of security, IOTEX draws power from blockchain security. On top of it, IOTEX also leverages other mechanisms such as ring signatures for ensuring security of transactions alongside user privacy. The IOTEX IoT blockchain platform also depends on delegated Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanisms. 

When talking about security one has to include the fact that IOTA’s network was down for more than 20 days after their wallet was hacked and millions of dollars were stolen.

Other Source: https://cryptonews.net/en/news/altcoins/290223/

This MIT paper pointed to deeply serious vulnerabilities in IOTA’s tangle or DAG technology. The researchers were in touch with the IOTA team and yet 3 years later they were hacked.

Know More: https://dci.mit.edu/research/tag/IOTA

According to the delegated proof-of-stake mechanism, the IOTEX network can rely on the votes of stakeholders for choosing block producers. Producers work for adding new blocks in the IOTEX blockchain for receiving rewards in return. The producers could use their rewards for providing incentives to the stakeholders who expressed their vote for them. 

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Final Words

The clear evaluation of all factors in IOTA vs IOTEX comparison shows that IOTA is a leader in market capitalization. It came earlier and has been a favorite of many crypto enthusiasts with considerably high levels of adoption. However, every technology has some setbacks, and IOTA is not anything different. 

It does not offer the desired levels of decentralization with faster transactions, and the older nodes are not capable of running more than 40 transactions per second. So, a competition like IOTEX is necessary for driving the growth of IOTA. On the other hand, IOTEX is also developing as a completely new breed of IoT blockchain solution. Learn more about IOTA and IOTEX in detail for identifying the best choice for your needs.  

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

The post IOT Blockchain Rumble For Dominance : IOTA vs IoTeX appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

If you are wondering what’s so special about the gaming industry, then you should know that the global gaming market might reach a total value of $268 billion by 2025. With the NFT boom, blockchain-based solutions in gaming set an ideal stage for play to earn games in the crypto landscape. Let us learn more about these new types of games that offer the benefits of earning in the following discussion.

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Gaming and the Metaverse

Online gaming is one of the popular global phenomena which are practically impossible to ignore. Many people all over the world play different types of online games, either professionally or for casual entertainment. You can witness many popular mentions such as League of Legends, Final Fantasy, and CS: Global Offensive alongside many other games which have global recognition.

Interestingly, online games also create communities alongside facilitating interactions between players, thereby developing a unique ecosystem. Such a type of concept leads to the development of the metaverse, a concept leading to the development of completely fictional and digital space. The concept of the metaverse is the foundation for the play-to-earn games you witness today. 

Blockchain and Web3 Games

Blockchain has set the perfect precedent for web3 crypto trends with the power of decentralization. With a new and innovative form of network model for data sharing, blockchain heralds the beginning of web3 trends. Blockchain also underlies the design of crypto solutions, thereby pointing towards the alignment of web3 with the growth of crypto. In order to understand the next generation of web3 games, one should note how blockchain games have transformed over the years. 

Blockchain-based games are not just about trading basic NFT collectibles such as CryptoKitties anymore. Interestingly, blockchain games offer the opportunity for players to earn money without having the rarest NFTs in their wallets. Even if the idea of play-to-earn games might seem a bit appealing, games have never offered any proven facility for making a real income by selling off digital assets. However, the “play to earn” model presents something different.

Definition of Play to Earn Games

The term “play-to-earn games” gives away the meaning as one could clearly infer what the games are for. You would basically play the games to earn some real income. In the case of play-to-earn games for web3, players could generate a steady source of income in crypto just by playing the games. It is important to note that the mechanisms of the games might be different from each other.

However, the rewards for players come from the creation of tradable NFT items, farming in-game currency, or staking. In some of the older blockchain-based games, players had to depend primarily on random selections to generate profits. On the contrary, play-to-earn games support the development of in-game business models and economies which enable participants to generate income. 

The most popular example of best play-to-earn games would refer to Axie Infinity. Based on the Ethereum blockchain, Axie Infinity became one of the most-played blockchain-based games during the pandemic in 2020. The game presents a perfect blend of conventional video game elements along with gameplay and the traditional blockchain game model. Players could find adventure mode, tournaments, and PvP battles in Axie Infinity as highlights of the traditional gaming industry.     

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Working of Play to Earn Games

The clear impression of web3 crypto trends draws attention towards NFTs. However, no one could undermine the foundations of NFTs in gaming, especially with new blockchain games blending NFTs, finance, and gaming. Games are now offering financial incentives for players to participate in a game and move to higher stages. However, many people have doubts about the ways in which play-to-earn games in crypto help you generate income. Here is an idea regarding the specific ways in which the new breed of blockchain-based games helps in generating income. 

The first way in which the best play-to-earn games help players in earning income involves in-game cryptocurrencies. The Smooth Love Potion of Axie Infinity is an example of in-game cryptocurrency that players can earn by completing daily quests and other in-game challenges. 

Players could also earn income from the play to earn web3 games by obtaining in-game NFTs and trading them. The NFTs could represent items, characters, or any other in-game collectible and are entirely cosmetic or specifically useful in the game only. 

Play-to-earn games also offer another promising option for players to earn income through staking. You could find certain NFT games which help users in locking up cryptocurrencies or NFTs in smart contracts. Subsequently, users can generate rewards for their participation. You can see the example of staking MBOX tokens as proof of opportunities to earn real income from blockchain games. 

Users staking their MBOX tokens would receive MOMO NFT Mystery Boxes as rewards. The mystery boxes include random NFTs which differ in terms of rarity, and players could sell them on secondary markets. On the other hand, players would need larger initial deposits with play to earn games in crypto for earning better staking rewards. 

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Security of Play to Earn Games 

The play-to-earn games are termed web3 games due to the value of blockchain. Even if the play-to-earn model is not new in online games, you can find a promising difference with blockchain-based games. Traditional online games such as MMORPGs offer fiat-based auction houses as well as secondary markets for trading in-game collectibles. 

On the other hand, web3 crypto trends imply that blockchain games would store currencies and items on the blockchain. You could find the benefits of better control over ownership, rarity, or legitimacy with the use of blockchain in a new breed of games. 

It is also reasonable to perceive blockchain networks as immutable databases, which ensures the security of play to earn games. The data and your rewards on the game would be under the control and maintenance of a distributed network of computers. The distributed network of computers or users has each user with a copy of the blockchain data. So, it is practically impossible to modify, delete, or duplicate the data in the game. 

The play-to-earn games for web3 have the advantage of being designed to counter fraud or corruption. Players don’t have to worry about issues such as gold hacks, item duplication, and other vulnerabilities noted commonly in traditional games. The only aspect that matters to players in such games would refer to the rarity of the items. Blockchain ensures that an item is truly unique and helps in creating real value for in-game items.

Feasibility of Play to Earn Games

One of the most notable questions about play-to-earn games in crypto ecosystem would refer to the scale of income. People generally wonder about the income they can earn from such games. Average users would find it difficult to understand that games can help players in earning real money. So, it could be challenging to identify how players can make income from blockchain games. In addition, many people in developing countries earn their living wages by playing web3 crypto games like Axie Infinity.

Farming could offer you a promisingly steady income stream, where your earnings are related to the player’s skills and amount of gameplay time. Axie Infinity followed such a farming approach and helped people in the Philippines to counter unemployment. Players are able to make somewhere around $200 to $1000 each month by farming the Smooth Love Potion of the SLP token. 

Even if farming offers lower benefits than trading NFT collectibles and items, it is a suitable pick for regular income. Games such as Axie Infinity also offer you the chance to use your NFTs for breeding new Axies. On the other hand, it is difficult to predict the value of a newly bred Axie quickly. The most expensive Axie as of October 2021 was Angel, with a value of $131,970, which is presently listed for 3000 ETH. 

The lucrative numbers associated with play-to-earn games might look tempting. However, they are random in nature, and it is difficult for anyone to predict average income for an individual selling NFTs from such games. On the other hand, the advantage of new technology would empower the emerging generation of web3 games. The different scaling technologies would ensure that popular models would shift to the new model of in-game purchasing and selling. Furthermore, the rise of the metaverse also shows a lot about the feasibility of the play to earn games for web3. 

Final Words

The existing gaming industry has done nothing wrong. However, play-to-earn games add a huge difference by introducing the functionalities of blockchain in gaming. You could have games that let you earn income only by playing them. In addition, players could earn in crypto or NFTs, which they can choose to trade. 

With a lot of promising talk about popular games with the “play-to-earn” model like Axie Infinity, it is reasonable to wonder how they would grow in the future. The formidable support of blockchain to ensure security and transparency alongside the involvement of NFTs and the creation of massive communities would serve as prominent highlights of new blockchain-based games. Let us wait and see how this new generation of games shapes up with blockchain in web 3.0.

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*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

The post What is Play to Earn Games? How it reflects broader web3 trends? appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

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What are the Digital Currencies? 

Most of the individuals entering the world of cryptocurrencies would obviously find Bitcoin as one of the first milestones in their journey. It is a complicated, fascinating, and new type of digital currency, which is available only on different online platforms. At the same time, it also facilitates anonymity for users. 

The concept of such a digital currency might seem suspicious and even slightly dangerous for the uninitiated. So, it is important to learn Bitcoin comprehensively to dispel all types of misconceptions about it. Among the many factors related to developing your fluency in cryptocurrencies, the definition of BTC will help you figure out its significance.

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What is Bitcoin?

The first aspect that you need to learn about BTC is a detailed Bitcoin introduction with its definition. Bitcoin is the first-ever electronic peer-to-peer cash system as defined in the whitepaper introduced by Satoshi Nakamoto. In simple words, you can understand it as a decentralized digital currency, which allows you to make transactions directly without intermediaries. 

The electronic cash system leverages cryptographic proof rather than depending on trust. All Bitcoin transactions are documented on a public ledger, which is accessible to everyone. Therefore, it is practically impossible for anyone to reverse or fake transactions because of the foundation, i.e., blockchain. 

Blockchain offers decentralization, the core element of Bitcoins, thereby removing the need for intermediaries such as governments and issuing institutions. The innovative concept behind Bitcoins fostered the adoption of cryptocurrencies, and the value of one BTC is almost $62000. There was a time when the price of one BTC was somewhere around $150 for each coin. 

With a limited supply of 21 million coins, one can easily expect the BTC price to rise in the future. On top of it, institutional investors are considering BTC as a form of digital gold, which they could hedge against inflation and market fluctuations. The value associated with Bitcoin draws attention to its work. What is the secret ingredient behind the magic we see with Bitcoin? Let us explore some insights on how it works. 

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Working of Bitcoin

Any Bitcoin guide would be incomplete without an explanation of its working. It has been developed on a distributed digital ledger, the blockchain. The name clearly gives everything away, and one could clearly imply that it is basically a linked chain of blocks of data. The individual units are referred to as blocks, which could contain information regarding every transaction, such as total value, seller, date and time, and buyer and seller. You can find a distinct identifying code for every exchange, and the entries are sorted in chronological order, developing a digital chain of blocks. 

After adding a block to the blockchain, any individual could view the block, thereby serving as a public ledger of all crypto transactions. The decentralization aspect is also one of the prominent mentions in a Bitcoin introduction. It implies that there is no controlling authority and nobody owns the network. 

On the other hand, people could contribute to the blockchain, and when various people update the blockchain, it is also reflected in the ledger of other participants in the network. However, you may assume a few risks when thinking of the possibility of anyone editing the blockchain. As a matter of fact, accessibility and transparency offer better security and trustworthiness. 

• Adding Blocks to a Blockchain

The major highlight of the working of Bitcoins, i.e., addition of a block to the blockchain, is also one of the facts you come across while you learn Bitcoin fundamentals. Adding a transaction block to the Bitcoin blockchain involves verification by the majority of different BTC holders. The unique codes can also help in recognizing the transactions and wallets of users. On top of it, the codes should also match with the right encryption pattern. 

The codes used for recognizing wallets and transactions are quite complicated and include long and random numbers. Therefore, it is quite difficult to produce them fraudulently. Any fraudster would have a tough time guessing the key code for your BTC wallet. With high levels of statistical randomness in blockchain verification codes, it is difficult to reduce the risks of fraudulent BTC transactions.

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• Bitcoin Mining 

Anyone with a crypto wallet or an online crypto exchange could conduct a transaction that would be added to blocks. However, the process of adding new transactions to the Bitcoin blockchain is an important concept in guides on cryptocurrency. You must have heard about the term mining in discussions about Bitcoins. So, what is mining exactly? Is there a reserve of Bitcoin somewhere which you can dig? Where is the reserve? Let us hold back our assumptions a little bit there. 

The process of mining is a mandatory aspect in understanding Bitcoin fundamentals. People who work on mining Bitcoins are obviously known as miners. Now, what these miners do is that they assemble some high-end computing setups to start mining. The process for mining Bitcoins uses the proof-of-work consensus algorithm for solving mathematical puzzles. All the miners basically compete with each other for solving the puzzles, which would earn them the privilege of verifying transactions. 

Miners should continue racing to solve the puzzles and, in turn, support the overall network. The efforts of the miners do not go to waste as they receive rewards in the form of new Bitcoins. The Bitcoin code creates the new coins, and subsequently, new transactions become a part of the blockchain. 

Any individual with an average computing setup could have mined BTC in the initial days. However, it is not the same case in present times. The code of BTC has been tailored for creating tougher and challenging puzzles over the course of time. As a result, miners need more enhanced computing resources for mining Bitcoins now. 

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Important Highlights of Bitcoins

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While any Bitcoin guide would reflect on the working and mining as primary highlights, it is also reflected on the existing state of Bitcoins. Here are some of the prominent aspects you should not know about Bitcoins as a beginner.

• Security of Wallet

Even if Bitcoin blockchain is secure by default, you should secure your wallet, just as you would protect your physical wallet. BTC ensures possibilities for transferring value anywhere in the world, thereby enabling better control over money. However, Bitcoins can also feature certain security concerns. On the other hand, BTC can provide the assurance of better security with proper usage. With the right best practices in place, you could easily safeguard your money just by securing your wallet. 

• Fluctuation of Bitcoin Prices

If you are looking for the Bitcoin meaning to invest in a seemingly profitable venture, then you need to think again. The most striking highlight in headlines about Bitcoins refers to the volatility of BTC price. Since it is still an evolving economy, the price of Bitcoins could decrease or even increase in short periods of time. It is still new and illiquid markets could also result in fluctuations with the prices of Bitcoins. So, you should note that Bitcoin is a high-risk asset. 

• You Cannot Reverse Bitcoin Payments

It is impossible to reverse a Bitcoin transaction, and you can get a refund only if the recipient sends it back. So, you should learn BTC transaction best practices such as trading with people or enterprises you trust. In addition, enterprises should also maintain a clear record of all the payment requirements, which they should display to customers.

Bitcoin could detect typos and would not send money to invalid addresses by chance of error. So, it is important to maintain the right controls to ensure improved redundancy and safety. As the technology develops further, you can find possibilities for better safeguards in these cases for consumers and enterprises. 

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• Bitcoin Is Still Evolving 

As of now, Bitcoin is still an experimental new currency under active development. New improvements are obviously an important aspect of the development of BTC network. On the other hand, new improvements also bring new challenges for adoption of Bitcoins. For example, slower confirmations, increased fees, and other critical issues might make frequent appearances. 

So, it is important to look for technical support and financial advice before investing in it. Anybody would find that a simple Bitcoin chart could not show you how it would look in the next two months. Clearly, there is no one who could predict the future of Bitcoins, and this is a fact. 

• Not a Real Currency

The most significant highlight of a Bitcoin guide would obviously bring the emphasis on its nature as a currency. First of all, Bitcoin is not an official currency. However, you have to pay the necessary taxes such as income, payroll, capital gains, and sales taxes for Bitcoins. 

So, it is also important to follow the mandated regulations for taxes and other legal implications set by national governments or local legislations. There is quite a dilemma when you think of how BTC is not an official currency, yet you have to pay the taxes for anything associated with it. 

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How to Buy Bitcoins?

Once you have completed a Bitcoin course, you might develop the urge to buy some. After all, they are quite popular and have skyrocketing prices. If you have decided to dive into the world of Bitcoins, then you could buy them by using online transfers, credit, or debit cards. However, you need a wallet for Bitcoins, which gives you the wallet ID. A wallet is basically a place for storing Bitcoins, just like your physical wallet would hold your cash, coins, and credit cards. 

A Bitcoin wallet could either be a software wallet on the hard drive of your computer or an online crypto wallet. You could also use vault services for protected storage of Bitcoins in offline mode. In addition, the vault services could also use multi-sig wallets for leveraging various keys in order to facilitate protection of the account. 

All the wallets have their individual setbacks and advantages. For example, online wallets are vulnerable to attacks, and you don’t have complete control over your Bitcoins as the platforms are in control of your information. On the other hand, a hard drive is highly vulnerable to theft and damage due to natural circumstances such as fire or water damage. 

If you don’t want to purchase Bitcoins, then you could also find another important recommendation. You must have noticed in this Bitcoin guide that miners get rewards in the form of Bitcoins. So, you can become a miner with a high-end computing setup for earning Bitcoins. 

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Legality of Bitcoin

The next significant aspect in any Bitcoin introduction would also refer to the legality of mining. You would invest huge amounts of electricity in mining which is practically damaging the environment. However, the laws regarding Bitcoin are still evolving, and new sustainable approaches for mining could change the game. 

Studies have shown that the BTC network generates carbon dioxide in an amount similar to that of an entire developing country such as Sri Lanka. On the other hand, some studies have pointed out that almost 39% of the proof of work mining draws power from renewable energy. Therefore, the long-term viability of mining is a critical factor in the future of Bitcoin as a cryptocurrency.

Are People Using Bitcoin?

Any individual could purchase, sell and use Bitcoins by leveraging crypto exchange platforms and applications. On the other hand, purchasing Bitcoin might require thousands of dollars which is quite high for just one token. However, you can purchase shares in Bitcoins, which are known as Satoshi, after the founder. The value of one Satoshi is 0.00000001 BTC. 

Some of the notable names in the world of technology have been advocating about the prospects with Bitcoin. The former CEO of Twitter and CEO of digital payment company Square, Jack Dorsey, is one of them. One of the oldest banks in the US, BNY Mellon, has also expressed the possibilities of including digital currencies in services for clients. The popularity of Bitcoin is evident in the fact that Bitcoin transactions take place at a rate of over 300,000 transactions daily. 

Challenges for Bitcoin

The primary strengths of Bitcoin have turned out to be the biggest challenges. Take a look at any Bitcoin chart, and you could find massive fluctuations in the value of Bitcoins. All you can do is track the price of Bitcoins and draw calculations about their value. Digital currencies have been perceived as replacements for physical cash. 

However, there has been no momentous drive in that direction till now. The decentralization of the BTC network also raises skepticism among many beginners. On top of it, the problems of market volatility also affect the Bitcoin price with high levels of uncertainty among investors. These factors present formidable challenges in the adoption of Bitcoins. 

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Bottom Line

Financial experts would definitely offer you a warning before you try to learn Bitcoin fundamentals. Bitcoins are new, and within a decade, one BTC costs more than $60,000. They are more than just a form of digital currency. With only 21 million Bitcoins for supply, the value of Bitcoins would continue to increase, and so will the interest in learning about them. Despite the market fluctuations and volatility in the price of Bitcoins, large institutional investors are showing interest in Bitcoin investments. How will the future of Bitcoins shape out? Learn more about Bitcoins in detail right now to find the answer.

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*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

The post Everything You Need To Know About Bitcoin appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

If you have been following the domain of DeFi closely, then you must have witnessed a prominent growth in popularity of DeFi protocols. New DeFi protocols such as SushiSwap, PancakeSwap, or Uniswap have showcased profound growth in terms of liquidity and volume of transactions. The liquidity protocols could basically help anyone with funds for becoming a market maker and earning passive income through trading fees. 

However, the liquidity protocols have also been associated with a formidable risk, known as impermanent loss or IL. It basically refers to the loss when the price of tokens changes in comparison to their value upon depositing in the pool. Bigger fluctuations in the value often lead to bigger losses, thereby calling for attention towards understanding IL and its implications. The following discussion provides you with a detailed impermanent loss definition alongside showcasing examples of how it works and ways for calculating IL. 

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What is an Impermanent Loss?

The first thing you would search in a discussion about IL would refer to its definition. Generally, the impermanent loss definition states that it is a loss you have to incur when the price of the assets you have deposited changes between the time of deposit and withdrawal. You can find the loss only when you have withdrawn your deposits from a liquidity pool. 

The loss is generally a result of depositing two different cryptocurrencies in an automated market maker (AMM)-based liquidity protocol. When you withdraw your assets from an AMM liquidity pool at a later time with a profound difference in value, you will experience the loss. However, there are some situations where you would not lose money, albeit with trivial gains. 

The characteristic name of impermanent loss refers to the fact that you can know about it only after withdrawing your funds from a liquidity pool. Prior to withdrawal, any type of loss estimated on the assets in a liquidity pool would only remain on paper. In the long run, the losses could disappear entirely or reduce by a considerable margin according to market movement.

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Liquidity Pools and Significance of AMMs

If you want to understand the answer to “What is an impermanent loss?” you should learn about liquidity pools. Liquidity pool generally includes two distinct tokens as a trading pair, such as the example of ETH and DAI. The liquidity pool includes ETH and DAI tokens with equal weightage for ensuring improved ease of trading for users. 

For example, a pool of ETH and DAI would have a ratio of 50% ETH and 50% DAI. So, you can think of liquidity pools as a collection of crypto assets locked in a smart contract. Interestingly, liquidity pools serve a crucial role in enabling the facility of lending and trading services in DeFi markets. 

Automated Market Makers or AMMs have emerged as a prolific highlight in discussions related to impermanent loss. AMMs have provided the foundation for developing many new decentralized crypto exchanges and liquidity pools. They employ the use of algorithms for managing the activity of a liquidity pool. Furthermore, the algorithm also takes care of pricing the tokens in the pool on the basis of trades in the pool. 

In the case of common liquidity pools such as in Uniswap, you could find a constant formula-based algorithm for ensuring that values of the two cryptocurrencies in the pool are the same. At the same time, the algorithm also ensures the provision of liquidity, irrespective of the magnitude of the transaction. The AMM algorithm facilitates asymptotic increments in a token’s price with a growth in its desired quantity. Therefore, the price of a token in a liquidity pool would depend a lot on its proportion in the pool. 

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Working of the Impermanent Loss

You would definitely need a practical impermanent loss example to obtain an understanding of how it works. IL generally influences the liquidity pools, which have to maintain an equal ratio of tokens by design. For example, users should provide equal portions of ETH and USDC into a USDC/ETH liquidity pool. Upon depositing cryptocurrency in the pool, users get the privilege of withdrawing equal portions of the other cryptocurrency in the pair. The ratio changes depending on the number of tokens in the pool, thereby influencing the price of the tokens. 

Let us assume the example of a liquidity provider for understanding impermanent loss and its working in detail. If the liquidity provider adds 1 ETH and 100 USDC to the liquidity pool, then it ensures an equal value of both tokens in the pool. The dollar amount of the deposit will be $200 as their ETH and USDC would amount to $100 each. 

Now, imagine that the liquidity pool has 1000 USDC and 10 ETH, setting the perfect 50:50 ratio. The liquidity provider in this impermanent loss example would receive around a 10% share in the transactions with the liquidity pool. Liquidity providers could receive LP tokens for redeeming the 10% of share in the pool at any time. 

Everything looks quite seamless until now with a liquidity pool, and there is no sign of impermanent loss anywhere. The pricing of tokens in a liquidity pool depends considerably on the ratio between their liquidity pools. Therefore, you can find different prices of tokens in comparison to other exchanges. Now, suppose that the price of ETH experienced a 100% growth and is at $200 for each ETH. 

Therefore, the liquidity pool would now include 1,414.21 USDC and 7.071 ETH for balancing the pool. It is important to note that the liquidity provider enjoys a 10% share in the liquidity pool. So, they could withdraw 141 USDC and 0.7071 ETH, amounting to $282. On the other hand, if they held the 1 ETH and 100 USDC without adding to the liquidity pool, then the value would have been $300. You can clearly notice the difference of $18, which is the impermanent loss incurred by the liquidity provider. If the change in the ratio of the pool had been larger, the loss would have been bigger. 

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Calculating Impermanent Loss

The understanding of impermanent loss example clearly shows how the fluctuations in value of crypto tokens in liquidity pools can result in IL. However, it is also important to identify how to calculate IL and find out the possibilities of loss with specific liquidity pools. First of all, you should note that the tokens in the liquidity pool have a prominent role to play in an impermanent loss calculator. In addition, the number of liquidity providers in the pool also plays an important role in determining the IL. 

You could find that ETH finds a stable asset for swapping in the ETH/USDC liquidity pool. On the other hand, you would have a higher risk of impermanent loss in liquidity pools with volatile tokens. Interestingly, you could find liquidity pools made purely of stablecoins such as USDC and DAI, which reduce the risk of IL. Stablecoins do not have any volatility and can help in maintaining stability of the pool effortlessly. 

Just like decentralized exchanges, you could use an impermanent loss calculator for estimating the potential losses in advance. Some calculators offer you the facility of setting initial and future prices of two different tokens in a trading pair. You could easily get a detailed report of potential losses by comparing different scenarios. You could also find calculators which help you set the deposit amount and ratio of the pool manually. 

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Risk of Offering Liquidity

There is nothing much positive you feel about the answers for “What is an impermanent loss?” in discussions on crypto. The term has become a prominent highlight in the newly emerging DeFi landscape. Many people perceive that IL could become a formidable setback for the growth of DeFi as it would discourage liquidity providers. 

Furthermore, the fact that impermanent loss is inevitable is also another notable concern for liquidity pools and AMMs. However, you should also note that you don’t incur the loss if you do not withdraw the funds from the pool. On the other hand, the fees could help in compensating for the losses, which are actually permanent. So, it is quite crucial to evaluate the risks of IL before investing in AMMs.  

Methods for Avoiding Impermanent Loss

While impermanent loss is an unavoidable phenomenon due to the volatility of crypto prices, you can avoid it. Here are some steps which can help you avoid the troubles due to impermanent losses.

• Go for trading pairs with stablecoins to avoid any concerns of impermanent losses. However, you could not benefit from an unprecedented rise in the market. 
• Trading fees associated with liquidity pools offered to liquidity providers could also help in offsetting impermanent losses. 
• While investments in stablecoin pairs might help in avoiding impermanent loss, they can reduce the possibilities of profit. On the other hand, you can choose trading pairs that have tokens with low volatility. 
• Sometimes, the best way to avoid the storm is to wait it out. If you are estimating impermanent losses due to fluctuations in token prices, then you could wait until the prices resume to normal. 

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Bottom Line 

As the world witnesses a radical growth in DeFi solutions and the adoption of crypto goes mainstream, impermanent loss has emerged as a notable concern. Primarily associated with liquidity pools, impermanent losses are the difference in price of crypto tokens at the time of deposit and withdrawal after fluctuation in prices. Irrespective of the rise or decline of price of any cryptocurrency in the trading pair, the liquidity provider has to experience impermanent losses.

Therefore, you could not undermine the possibility of impermanent losses in liquidity pools based on AMMs. On the other hand, you could also employ some promising measures for resolving the risks of impermanent losses. For example, you can invest in trading pairs with stablecoins or tokens with low volatility. Learn more about impermanent losses and counter them effectively now.

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. Do your own research! 

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Digital transformation is the bridge connecting us to a new age of future. There was a time when people communicated through mail before people had smartphones. Within a small period of time, digital advancements have taken over almost every aspect of our lives. Therefore, it is quite reasonable to wonder about the prospects of representing real-world assets in the digital landscape. 

One of the most popular digital assets which have garnered considerable levels of popularity in recent times refers to cryptocurrencies. The rising attention on cryptocurrencies has also drawn attention towards crypto custody and how you exercise ownership of crypto assets. Let us find out more about custody of cryptocurrencies or digital asset custody solutions and their significance in modern markets.

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Is Crypto Valuable?

As of August 2021, the total capitalization of the crypto market was over $2 trillion, which clearly shows the value of crypto for the world. The applications of digital assets like cryptocurrencies are influencing conventional financial services. At the same time, crypto has also fuelled the proliferation of new DeFi solutions and a completely transformed perspective on finance. 

While many people wonder about the highlights of crypto, such as security, transparency, and a new form of finance, it is important to note that it is intangible. Therefore, many people are confused about cryptocurrency custody without any clarity regarding where they can store the cryptocurrency they have. If you are a Bitcoin owner, do you have the coins representing the value of Bitcoins that you can store in your physical wallet? 

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What is Crypto Custody?

The growth of cryptocurrency has been a formidable phenomenon in recent times, especially with additional emphasis on trust and security. In addition, the demand for regulations and standardized operations is also increasing in the crypto ecosystem. Till now, centralized and decentralized exchanges have hogged the limelight in discussions around crypto custody and trading. 

However, the approaches for storing and managing digital assets such as cryptocurrencies have become popular in recent times. This is where you would come across modern crypto custody services, which are basically independent storage and security systems for cryptocurrencies. 

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Importance of Cryptocurrency Custody

The next critical factor in any discussion around custody solutions for crypto would focus on its significance. The crypto custody market size has been projected to grow at a 21.5% CAGR to reach $1.2 billion by 2026. How are custody solutions an important aspect for the growth of the crypto ecosystem? One of the foremost answers for this question would point towards the growing interest of financial institutions, hedge funds, and individuals with a high net worth in cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency custody can serve as vital support for expanding their crypto holdings. Around 150 active crypto-related hedge funds have already accumulated almost $1 billion in terms of the value of assets under their management. However, around 52% of the hedge funds, financial institutions, and high-net-worth individuals depend on services of independent custody solutions. Therefore, the growing interest of institutional investors in the crypto space establishes the need for institutional crypto custody solutions.

Custody in the case of crypto assets is a broad term with the availability of many solutions. You can discover many unique choices for storing crypto assets and ensure all-around access to your crypto assets. In addition, you should also notice the value of crypto custody solutions and the challenges associated with them. 

Understanding Cryptocurrency Custody

In order to understand “what is crypto custody” in detail, you need to focus on a detailed impression of asset custody. In the case of traditional financial markets, custodians are basically the institutions that offer different financial services. However, the custodians in traditional financial markets have to focus primarily on safekeeping of assets. 

The custodians can serve as vaults that hold the assets of investors in electronic and physical variants and take a fee for safekeeping your assets. In addition, the custodians also leverage their market experience for efficient and faster settlement of investors’ trades. In the case of cryptocurrency custody, you would find similarities with custodians in traditional financial landscape. However, custody of crypto has some unique details which you should note carefully. 

Institutional crypto custody solutions have similarities to custodians of traditional financial services, albeit with a prominent difference. Custody solutions for crypto focus primarily on taking responsibility for the digital assets of customers and securing them. The secret to effective crypto storage and management with custody solutions is clearly evident in secure key management. 

Working of Crypto Custody

Another important factor in any discussion on crypto custody services would bring the focus on how they work. Crypto works on the foundation of blockchain, and as the name implies, cryptographic security is a basic aspect of cryptocurrencies. Key management helps in cryptographic security of assets and allows custody of digital wallets through private keys. However, the institutional crypto custody solutions hold the private keys to assets on behalf of the owner. The custody solution for crypto ensures that any other party could not access the private keys of a user. 

The security of any asset is an important concern for crypto custody as investors focus on security before allocating assets to custody services. On the other hand, you would find many inherent features with cryptocurrency for obtaining the assurance of security. First of all, you can find representations of crypto assets on blockchain which are impossible to modify. The next critical aspect in custody of crypto assets refers to access to crypto assets through public and private keys.       

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Public and Private Keys

If you dig deep into any type of popular crypto wallet, then you can find how they use the keys. As a matter of fact, any solution offering you the custody of crypto assets, such as a crypto wallet, does not store your actual crypto. On the contrary, the cryptocurrency custody solution of your choice would store the private keys for you. The custody solutions such as wallets could also help you manage your cryptocurrency effectively with direct access to your private keys. 

• Public keys are basically a long numeric code associated with a specific wallet or custody solution. It serves as the address of the custody solution and should be paired with the right private key for executing transactions. 
• Private keys, on the other hand, are randomly generated binary numbers, which can help in encryption and decryption of transactions. The private key helps in unlocking and verifying a transaction. 

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Different Alternatives for Crypto Custody

With a detailed impression of the basics related to custody of cryptocurrencies and the crypto custody market size, now it is reasonable to focus on different types of solutions. What are the types of custody solutions you can use for cryptocurrencies? Here are the three common types of crypto custody services you can find for individual as well as institutional investors. 

• Self-custody

One of the foremost options for individual crypto custody solutions would obviously refer to self-custody solutions. Take control over your crypto assets with hardware, software, or paper wallets according to your convenience. Self-custody solutions for crypto help you use hardware, software, or paper for storing the private keys to your crypto assets. The advantages of self-custody solutions include better security and improved control over your assets. However, you have to take on the responsibility of your asset alongside the vulnerabilities of hacking and asset loss. 

• Exchange Wallets

The next common entry among cryptocurrency custody solutions would bring exchange wallets into the equation. Exchange wallets are basically the solutions in which investor allocates the control and management of private and public keys to exchanges. However, investors would enjoy seamless access to their public and private keys through an online wallet. 

Such types of solutions are suitable for institutional crypto custody where the exchange takes responsibility for managing private keys. While exchange wallets offer considerable simplicity and ease of access for managing the custody of crypto assets, they also present certain counterparty risks. 

• Third-party Custodian

The final type of entry among crypto custody services would refer to third-party custodians. Service providers storing digital assets on behalf of customers can easily qualify as third-party custodians. However, third-party custodians offer the facility for including custom-defined features and controls for controlling management of the asset.

Third-party custody services are ideal for institutional crypto custody with exceptional institutional-grade security alongside insurance. You could find the promising value of standardization with clearly defined rules and controls for managing crypto assets. On top of it, third-party custodians also offer better flexibility and security, albeit with a higher cost suitable for institutions. 

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Storage of Keys

As you can notice clearly, the different types of cryptocurrency custody solutions store the private keys of investors. The custody solutions provide security for crypto assets through secure maintenance of the private keys of investors. Custodians could choose hot storage, cold storage, or even smart contract wallets and multi-signature wallets for storing private keys. 

• Hot storage is a method for storing crypto assets online, which allows online custodianship of your crypto. Hot wallets can help you use a digital private key to access a specific asset. However, they are extremely vulnerable to hackers.
• Another common form of private key storage mechanism in crypto custody services includes cold storage. As the name implies, cold storage of private keys focuses on offline storage of private keys. Cold storage requires a private key for accessing the offline digital wallet and reducing the security vulnerabilities. 
• A multi-signature wallet is another example of a mechanism for storing private keys in crypto custody solutions. The multi-signature wallets require multiple approvals for transactions alongside allowing online custodianship of crypto assets. Multiple users could access the decentralized wallet, thereby indicating a formidable improvement in solutions for custody of cryptocurrencies. 
• A smart contract wallet would also provide a vital indication of the types of storage for private keys in cryptocurrency custody solutions. The smart contract wallet offers custody of smart contract tokens alongside proving ownership through online custodianship. Smart contract wallets also have interesting details like control by code, a private key, and a master account. 

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Final Words

The basics of crypto custody show how it can transform the conventional precedents for managing your crypto assets. Institutional investors are seeking new avenues for expanding their crypto holdings, and custody solutions offer the desired support. New custody solutions for crypto assets provide new opportunities for reducing the risk and complications associated with managing your own crypto assets. Custody solutions can also provide an additional layer of security for your crypto assets. 

As a matter of fact, the custody solutions for crypto are suitable alternatives to exchanges. Therefore, cryptocurrency custody might be a profound driver for crypto adoption by empowering simple and streamlined crypto asset storage and management. Blockchain and crypto continue to transform the world, and custody solutions are a crucial highlight of the emerging ecosystem. Learn more about custody solutions and find the best choice for your crypto needs right now. 

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

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Stock exchanges have been serving as a crucial element in the domain of traditional finance. They offer the foundations of a market for trading equities, derivatives, commodities, bonds, currencies, and other financial instruments. On the other hand, forex markets are prominent platforms for facilitating the exchange of national currencies. 

Such exchanges offer critical inputs for market liquidity alongside strengthening the stability of the global financial system. Crypto exchanges such as Uniswap mirror the marketplace dynamic in traditional finance with a platform for trading digital assets exactly like traditional financial instruments and assets. 

The growing interest in debates surrounding centralized and decentralized crypto exchanges has attracted promising attention toward top decentralized exchanges. The following discussion aims to offer you an introduction to Uniswap exchange and its fundamentals, including how it works. You can also find out about the governance of one of the largest decentralized exchanges in the world.

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Need for Decentralized Exchanges 

Even if cryptocurrencies are primarily associated with decentralized blockchain, you will find that the top crypto exchanges in the world are centralized. It is clear that centralized exchanges can offer the benefits of improved liquidity alongside faster transaction settlement. However, the concerns regarding the autonomy of individual users have led to the development of decentralized exchanges such as Uniswap. 

Decentralized exchanges rely comprehensively on blockchain technology alongside leveraging smart contracts for facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers. Most important of all, decentralized exchanges can help in executing transactions in a completely trustless and automated fashion. However, decentralized exchanges are also mired in the setbacks that emerge from the existing limitations of blockchain technology. 

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Challenges for Decentralized Exchanges

The popularity of decentralized exchanges like Uniswap DEX has started to gain attention recently. However, decentralized exchanges have been encountering various risks pertaining to segmented liquidity, disjointed user experience, and network scalability. 

DEXs present promising opportunities for innovation in asset exchange, albeit with formidable challenges for regulators. Why? There is no way to hold anyone accountable in the case of market failure in the absence of any responsible party. 

On the other hand, Uniswap decentralized exchange has introduced favorable improvements to empower the functionality of DEXs with new tools. As a pioneer in the concept of liquidity pool mechanisms, Uniswap has turned into the largest decentralized exchange all over the world. Let us discover more about the world’s largest DEX. 

Fundamentals of Uniswap Exchange

One of the foremost questions that might be circling your mind right now would be, “What is Uniswap?” and it is a reasonable one, especially for beginners. It is basically a decentralized exchange protocol running on the Ethereum blockchain, which can enable peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto trades. What’s so special about it, then? 

The P2P transactions on the decentralized exchange protocol do not require any centralized intermediary or order books. On the contrary, the Uniswap DEX leverages a liquidity pool model featuring automated smart contracts. Potential traders could access different token reserves funded by users to avail the primary source for market liquidity. 

Any individual could list a token on the DEX platform or swap tokens and even contribute tokens in liquidity pools for earning fees. The foundations of Uniswap on Ethereum also ensure flexibility for exchanging ERC-20 tokens on the platform. The most striking highlight of the world’s largest DEX points to the lack of listing fees for a token. This is definitely an interesting improvement over the conventional centralized exchanges.

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Key Highlights of Uniswap DEX

As a newbie to the world of DEXs, you should also make a note of the popularity of Uniswap DEX. Developed by an independent developer in 2018, Uniswap has been successful in raising more than $10 million USD from different seed rounds. Here are some of the most striking highlights of the world’s largest decentralized exchange protocol as of August 2021.

• The total value locked or TVL of assets in the world’s largest DEX platform is over $6 billion USD. 
• The platform has more than 72,000 liquidity providers. 
• Most important of all, the all-time Uniswap exchange volume has exceeded $302 billion USD. 
• The world’s largest DEX platform has facilitated over 58 million trades. 
• Uniswap exchange has also featured in more than 200 DeFi integrations.                     

What Problem Does Uniswap Solve?

Conventional markets rely on the order book model for facilitating trades, and centralized crypto exchanges follow the same model. The order books maintain the open sell and buy orders for any particular asset on an exchange. In the event of large gaps between the prices that sellers are willing to agree on and buyers are willing to pay, reduced trading activity can decrease liquidity profoundly. 

As a result, holding assets for longer could create difficulties in selling them. The liquidity pools of Uniswap’s decentralized exchange reduce the discrepancies between the seller’s and buyer’s market orders. Liquidity pools in the DEX protocol could help in developing a massive collection of assets for trading, which subsequently supports the resolution of potential issues for market liquidity. Most important of all, the world’s largest DEX employs an innovative Automated Market Maker or AMM algorithm for improved functionality. 

Working of Uniswap 

The most important factor that can help you understand Uniswap exchange better would obviously refer to its working. When you dive deeper into how the decentralized exchange platform works, you can find that it depends on two distinct types of smart contracts. The two smart contracts involved in the working of the DEX protocol are known as the “Exchange” contract and the “Factory” contract. 

The contracts are basically autonomous computer programs embedded with code for performing specific actions upon meeting predefined conditions. It is important to note that the “Factory” contract helps in the addition of new tokens to the platform. On the other hand, the “Exchange” contract in Uniswap enables all the token transactions. The most crucial aspect driving the world’s largest decentralized crypto exchange is the AMM protocol, which you can also refer to as automated liquidity protocol.

• Automated Market Maker 

The key force driving the Uniswap DEX protocol is the Automated Market Maker or AMM technology. It is basically a smart contract used for managing the liquidity pools providing tokens that are used for facilitating trades. The AMM algorithm helps define the effective price of a token according to the interplay between the supply and demand of tokens in the liquidity pools. 

As an automated liquidity protocol, the AMM smart contract provides incentives for people on the exchange to take on the role of liquidity providers. Basically, the users on Uniswap pool their money to create a fund that they can use for trades on the platform. It is important to note that each listed token has its respective liquidity pool to which users can contribute. The AMM protocol helps in determining the price of the tokens for trading according to a mathematical equation. 

You might be wondering about answers to “What is Uniswap used for?” other than serving as a decentralized exchange. As a matter of fact, you can find the answer in the identity of Uniswap as a decentralized exchange. The AMM system ensures that buyers and sellers don’t have to wait for another party to carry out a transaction. 

On the other hand, buyers and sellers could capitalize on the liquidity of specific pools alongside the precise price estimate of tokens. Liquidity providers receive a token representing their stake in the liquidity pool, which they can redeem later for a specific share in the trading fees. Uniswap decentralized exchange imposes a straightforward 0.30% fee for every trade on the platform, which automatically goes to liquidity reserve.

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• Determining the Price of Tokens 

The next crucial aspect in the working of Uniswap exchange would refer to the approach for estimating the token pricing. As you all know, the world’s largest DEX does not employ an order book system. On the contrary, the price of each asset depends on the highest buyer and the lowest seller with the AMM system. 

The Automated Market Maker system adjusts the price of assets on the basis of supply and demand with a popular mathematical equation. The mathematical equation works by adjusting the price of a coin according to the ratio of the number of tokens in respective pools.

When a user needs to add a new ERC-20 token on the Uniswap decentralized exchange, they can start a liquidity pool. In order to do that, the user must add a specific amount of the selected ERC-20 token as well as a similar amount of another ERC-20 token. The price of the tokens is determined by the ‘Constant Product Formula,’ which is, “x * y = k.” 

The “x” and “y” in the Constant Product Formula are variable entities representing the total value of one token in the trading pair. For example, if you have an ETH/DAI liquidity pool, you can assume “x” as the total value of ETH and “y” as the total value of DAI in the liquidity pool. The product of the two numbers provides the pool liquidity of the trading pair, represented as “k” in the formula.

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• Constant Liquidity  

Now, the interesting fact in the working of Uniswap DEX is that pool liquidity should always remain constant. Even if the values of “x” and “y” change, the value of “k” will always be a constant. With multiple trades, the value of “x” and “y” for a liquidity pool would change. For example, a user purchases 1 ETH by depositing 330 DAI in the pool, thereby decreasing the ratio of ETH. 

On the other hand, the ratio of DAI increases for accommodating the additional 330 DAI tokens and one less ETH. Therefore, the price of ETH would increase in the liquidity pool. One can clearly notice an answer to “What is Uniswap used for?” in the use of the constant product formula. The DEX platform can be able to maintain an ecosystem with fair market value alongside fostering constant liquidity.

Governance of Uniswap DEX

With the constantly growing estimates of Uniswap exchange volume, it is inevitable to wonder about its governance. What exactly helps in keeping the world’s largest decentralized exchange in place? The answer to this question is clearly evident in the Uniswap token, UNI, which arrived in September 2020. UNI is the native governance token for the world’s largest DEX platform and focuses on empowering computing involvement in governance. 

UNI token holders have the privilege of voting on developments in the Uniswap project, which will determine the platform’s future. Furthermore, the UNI token could also serve other functionalities such as funding liquidity mining pools, partnerships, and grants. You can also use the Uniswap token to support many other growth-oriented initiatives for improving the usability of the platform. 

The continuous expansion of the Uniswap community would lead to gradually diminishing roles of the founding team in platform governance. By design, the Uniswap token holders would diversify and exercise their privileges in the governance of the platform. You can clearly identify the evidence for the intersection between decentralization concepts and the facility of incentives. Therefore, it is quite clear that Uniswap decentralized exchange presents formidable prospects for fuelling the DeFi revolution. 

Keeping in line with the trend of token distribution in the DeFi landscape, Uniswap also carried out an airdrop. The platform distributed 400 UNI tokens to individuals who had used the Uniswap exchange. In addition, it is also important to note how the Uniswap token is more than just a governance token. Investors can also choose the option of trading the token on exchanges and treating it like a speculative investment instrument.

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Bottom Line

The detailed introduction to the world’s largest DEX shows more than answers to “What is Uniswap used for?” by diving into its working and governance. As a decentralized exchange protocol, Uniswap serves an innovative role in the domain of crypto trading. One of the significant aspects that have been supporting its growth is the emphasis on decentralization by design. The DEX platform uses automation and smart contracts for facilitating trades of digital assets with the assurance of liquidity. 

Liquidity providers serve an important role in the Uniswap exchange by pledging their assets to liquidity pools. The platform also uses an AMM system for determining the price of assets in a liquidity pool, thereby ensuring fair value. Therefore, Uniswap DEX is definitely one of the top alternatives for crypto trades, especially with a focus on DeFi. Learn more about the world’s largest decentralized exchange or DEX.

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

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Crypto is the most dominant buzzword you can find in the world of finance as well as technology. Based on the power of blockchain technology, crypto has introduced new perspectives on financial services. Interestingly, crypto has gained widespread adoption in recent times with prolific growth in many new approaches for extracting value from crypto assets. 

One of the most notable methods for obtaining additional value from your crypto assets in recent times will obviously point you towards crypto lending. As the search for the best crypto lending platform becomes a top priority for crypto holders, it is important to understand the value of crypto lending effectively. Apart from a clear overview of the fundamentals of crypto lending, it is important to identify the essential factors for choosing the top crypto lending platform easily.

The following discussion offers a detailed outline of a crypto lending platforms list with a brief overview of each platform. You can also develop a detailed understanding of the essential pointers required for selecting a cryptocurrency lending platform.

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Is It Possible to Lend or Borrow Crypto? 

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of crypto is ‘holding.’ Many people assume that ownership of crypto is similar to that of stocks. According to such assumptions, you must buy and hold your crypto until a substantial growth in the asset’s pricing. On the other hand, many people are turning towards the most popular crypto lending platform they could find for earning interest in their crypto assets. 

Crypto lending has emerged prominently in recent times with the radically expanding levels of attention towards the DeFi movement. Without deviating away from our discussion, let us find out the answer to “What are crypto lending platforms?” before finding the top alternatives. 

Cryptocurrency Lending

Before you move ahead in your quest to find the safest crypto lending platform, it is important that you understand crypto lending. Crypto lending is basically a method for lending crypto assets or fiat currency to borrowers in accordance with a specific interest rate. So, crypto lending is more or less similar to the process of lending in traditional banking systems. 

The two most striking elements in the process of crypto lending showcase the similarities with traditional banking. You have lenders who generally have more cryptocurrency and are looking for opportunities to achieve passive income. On the other hand, you have borrowers, who are generally individuals who need loans against crypto assets in their possession. 

However, the difference between crypto lending and traditional lending is clearly evident in the cryptocurrency lending platform. The lending platform is the primary facilitator of loans in crypto lending and is a significant element.

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Types of Crypto Lending Platforms

Now that you know the answer to “What are crypto lending platforms?” you should identify types of crypto lending platforms. Basically, you can find two distinct categories of platforms for lending cryptos, such as CeFi and DeFi platforms. 

• CeFi Platforms 

CeFi or centralized finance platforms generally serve as intermediaries for the execution of the crypto lending process. A centralized cryptocurrency lending platform would take control of the assets of lenders and collateral of borrowers for the period of the loan. In addition, a centralized crypto lending platform would also require a KYC process, thereby excluding anonymity. 

• DeFi Platforms

DeFi or decentralized finance platforms, on the other hand, present a decentralized approach for crypto lending. DeFi platforms use smart contracts for the execution of lending procedures. Most important of all, DeFi lending platforms could ensure complete automation of the lending process alongside the execution of the contract upon fulfillment of specific conditions. 

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Working of Crypto Lending

The largest crypto lending platform might catch your attention immediately when you go out searching for one. However, you should have a clear impression of the working of crypto lending platforms to find a suitable pick according to your requirements. The best way to understand the working of a top crypto lending platform is to focus on the role of individual components. 

• Lenders play a significant role as contributors to the crypto lending process. They deposit their crypto assets for a fixed or flexible term to achieve passive income on their assets. 
• Borrowers have to place their crypto assets as collateral and obtain loans on the assets without selling them. In addition, borrowers must also pay interest on the borrowed loans to recover back their collateral.
• The cryptocurrency lending platform serves as a medium for the regulation of the lending and borrowing process. As you may have noticed, the platform could be centralized or decentralized. Based on the type of platform, the approach for regulation of the lending process could involve matching orders or liquidity pools or codes. 

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How to Select Crypto Lending Platforms?

The final aspect which you need to cover before reviewing a crypto lending platforms list is an outline of important factors for selecting one. Here are some of the key factors you should consider before selecting a crypto lending platform. 

• Interest Rate

The foremost factor in selecting a crypto lending platform would refer to the interest rate offered by the platform. Choose a lending platform that offers a favorable interest rate for the crypto assets in your possession.

• Cost

The next crucial factor for selecting the best crypto lending platform would obviously point to the costs associated with different crypto assets on different platforms. 

• Platform Risks

You should also take the platform risks into account before choosing a crypto lending platform. 

• Loan Duration

It is also important to pay attention to the lending duration when you are trying to discover the safest crypto lending platform. Verify whether the lending duration is fixed or flexible and make the decision according to your requirements. 

• Collateral Amount

Another important factor for choosing a crypto lending platform would refer to the collateral you need for borrowing a particular amount. 

• Minimum Deposit Limit

The final aspect in choosing the top crypto lending platform for your needs would point to the deposit limit. You should check whether the platform has any specific requirements for a minimum deposit amount. 

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Best Crypto Lending Platforms 

After a detailed overview of the fundamentals of crypto lending platforms, you might be eager to find the most popular crypto lending platform. Here are some of the top choices among crypto lending platforms that are popular today. 

• Celsius

When you search for the largest crypto lending platform in terms of popularity, Celsius would obviously make the first entry. It provides the opportunity for earning almost up to 17% yield by lending crypto. Interestingly, it does not involve any fees for borrowing, transferring, or lending coins on Celsius. 

Furthermore, crypto holders could also gain 25% additional rewards with CEL token, the native token of Celsius. In addition, Celsius also allows you to stake your crypto as collateral and borrow funds at low-interest rates. 

• Compound

The most popular crypto lending platform in the present market, Compound, is actually a benchmark for many emerging platforms. The protocol has listed many cryptocurrencies and allows users to borrow or deposit the ones they prefer. The compound also offers a native token, COMP, which could help in yielding better returns as you lend your crypto to the platform for improving liquidity. 

The most promising detail about Compound is that it is easily the safest crypto lending platform available now. Furthermore, the live price feed on Compound allows flexible and effortless tracking of prices on the platforms according to available liquidity. 

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• Binance

You would obviously come across Binance as one of the top entries in a crypto lending platforms list, especially considering the fact that it is the world’s largest crypto exchange. Apart from its commonly known role as a leading crypto exchange, Binance has also developed its own ecosystem. 

The platform has introduced its native coin, “BNB,” and aims to encourage DeFi adoption throughout the world. In the simplest words, Binance offers a one-stop solution for purchasing, selling, exchanging, and even trading your crypto assets. Now, you can also use Binance for getting a loan on your crypto assets or lending your crypto assets. 

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• Alchemix

Alchemix is another top example of a top crypto lending platform in the DeFi space. It employs a unique method for crypto lending, which entails offering loans that could pay themselves back in the course of time. Users have to deposit DAI in a smart contract and would receive a token in return. 

The token, also known as aIUSD, serves as a representation of the future yield farming potential of the DAI deposit. Smart contracts transfer the deposited assets in a Yearn vault, which actually takes care of minting DAI. With the harvest of the yield, the aIUSD debt of Alchemix users decreases. Therefore, the collateral of the borrowers on Alchemix can pay back the loan. 

• CoinLoan

Another promising example of the best crypto lending platform would bring CoinLoan to the equation. It is a credible crypto lending platform that supports iOS and Android while working effectively for the management of digital assets. You don’t have to worry about fees for deposits and withdrawal on CoinLoan. 

Interestingly, you have the opportunity to earn daily interest on your crypto assets with CoinLoan. The biometric authentication used in CoinLoan apps provides the assurance of improved security for all crypto assets in your possession. 

• Blockfi

The largest crypto lending platform is always appealing in terms of features. However, Blockfi offers unique functionalities for a crypto lending platform, such as 8.5% APY on different types of crypto assets. Most important of all, the platform does not impose any minimum balance requirements or hidden fees. 

All you need to do is store your crypto assets in a single place, and you can earn more. Crypto holders can borrow funds from the platform at 4.5% APR within a few simple steps. Blockfi is undoubtedly the top crypto lending platform suited for people with different levels of expertise in crypto lending. 

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• AAVE

You could not make a crypto lending platforms list without bringing the name of AAVE, the popular decentralized liquidity protocol. As a non-custodial protocol, AAVE allows all users to earn interest on their crypto holdings alongside borrowing funds by staking their crypto assets. AAVE features a wide range of features other than merely lending and borrowing. Users can find a clear impression of the interest rates alongside the privilege of additional functions such as flash loans and bug bounty. 

• YouHodler

The name of YouHodler is one of the earliest entries among discussions around the most popular crypto lending platform. It can help users avail crypto loans in any of the top 15 cryptocurrencies with an almost 90% loan-to-value ratio. The platform provides instant funds in return for staking crypto as collateral. YouHodler also provides the functionality of exchanging assets into different forms while offering interest to users for depositing their crypto on the platform. 

• MakerDAO

MakerDAO is also one of the top entries as the largest crypto lending platform with its native token, DAI, which can be used without any restrictions. Users could deposit over 25 crypto assets in the form of collateral in the vault on MakerDAO. You can borrow DAI on your contribution to the platform or procure additional collateral for increasing exposure. Just connect your crypto wallet to MakerDAO, and you have an effectively flexible crypto lending platform. 

• MoneyToken

The final entry as the best crypto lending platform would definitely refer to MoneyToken. It can help users in managing their crypto assets as well as receive crypto-backed loans effortlessly. Users have the advantage of selecting the loan terms alongside enjoying the value of decentralization. As a result, you can have complete ownership and control over the assets which are at stake.

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Bottom Line

People who are venturing into the crypto world would definitely try to find out “What are crypto lending platforms?” for obvious reasons. However, it is important to understand that crypto lending is not so different from traditional lending, albeit with distinct functionalities. For example, crypto lending platforms offer the possibilities for complete independence from banks and centralized institutions in the lending process. 

Even if crypto lending platforms are popular and offer lucrative interest rates, it is important to evaluate every alternative carefully. Apart from reviewing every crypto lending platform in this list, you should also take note of the important factors required for crypto lending platforms.

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

The post The Ultimate List of Crypto Lending Platforms appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

Non-fungible tokens have been in the highlights since the beginning of 2021. A $69 million NFT sale was one of the most striking pieces of news, which brought everyone’s eyes to NFTs. However, people are apprehensive about NFTs and are asking the question “Are NFTs safe?” before forming an opinion about them. As a new class of digital tokens, NFTs introduce many prolific benefits like improved control and ownership of digital assets. 

In addition, NFTs are also playing a crucial role in improving the liquidity of traditionally illiquid addresses. However, there are many NFT vulnerabilities and security concerns that might miss your attention amidst all the noise around NFTs. The following discussion helps you discover some of the prominent vulnerabilities and security risks associated with NFTs.

Why Should I Bother about NFTs?

For beginners, NFTs is an acronym for Non-Fungible Tokens, which refer to a group of unique assets in the domain of crypto. They are different from tokens with “fungibility” or the tokens which are equal in value. Furthermore, fungible tokens are not distinguishable from each other. 

A clear understanding of the definition of non-fungible tokens could help in setting the perfect foundation for learning about NFT security issues and vulnerabilities. You can find the best example of a fungible token in Bitcoin. You could buy another Bitcoin for one Bitcoin and still have ownership of one Bitcoin. On the other hand, NFTs are a completely different game altogether. 

The value of NFTs depends on different factors, including total supply and minting number alongside other special highlights and community support. For example, you would never find two similar CryptoKitties with the same worth. The value of CryptoKitties depends on the minting number, time of the creation of the kitty, and special highlights alongside demand. So, basically, NFTs are unique digital tokens that can help you exercise complete control over your assets. 

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Popularity of NFTs

The popularity of NFTs has skyrocketed in recent times with their unique traits for associating value to any physical or digital asset. You can think of NFTs as tokens representing physical or digital assets on a blockchain network. The NFTs record ownership of assets on the blockchain network. At the same time, the growth of NFTs has been fuelled by the creation of exclusive communities related to specific assets. 

On top of it, NFTs also encourage investors for the creation of a future that relies largely on a tokenized economy. Despite being in the early stages, NFTs are transforming the domain of crypto in various ways. However, NFT security concerns are inevitable aspects, just like with anything that involves technology, humans, and money. Therefore, it is important to look at the dark side of NFTs for identifying the pitfalls in the emerging technological intervention. 

Understanding the Security of NFTs

One of the foremost aspects which emerges in any discussion about NFTs is “Are NFTs safe,” and there are many reasons for such doubts. Well, the answer to the question might not be appealing as NFTs are not completely secure. First of all, it is important to note that malicious actors would immediately capitalize on any opportunity for exploiting any asset with value. Even if NFTs are still in the initial stages of growth, their popularity has become a signaling beacon for hackers. Furthermore, various real-life incidents also draw attention to the severity of NFT vulnerabilities and threats to NFT security. 

Hackers were able to gain unauthorized access to various Nifty Gateway NFT user accounts in March 2021. During the attack, hackers transferred previously purchased NFTs and bought new NFTs for transferring with the payment cards available on file. The attackers sold the NFTs to another purchaser on a different platform. Since Nifty Gateway held the private keys for concerned NFTs on the platform, users were not able to recover NFTs. Such incidents not only bring clarity regarding NFT security concerns but also towards other challenges in the NFT ecosystem. 

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NFT Vulnerability and Security Concerns

Although the popularity of NFTs is increasing day by day, hacking incidents make it important to understand the NFT security issues. Let us find out more about the individual challenges, vulnerabilities, and security risks evident for NFTs in present times. 

• Challenges for Asset Ownership

The creation of NFTs introduced new prospects for transforming conventional precedents for asset ownership. However, one of the foremost NFT vulnerabilities challenges the very concept of true ownership in NFTs. The foremost challenge at the time of the creation of NFTs was the limitation on storage capabilities. As a result, it was impossible to store images in the blockchain. 

On the contrary, the blockchain would store an identifier of the image, which can be the hash of the image or its web address in the blockchain. You would have to use the identifier for viewing the NFT on a third-party platform. So, an individual purchasing an NFT would not be purchasing the actual image. On the contrary, they are purchasing the identifier, which leads them to a URM on the internet. The identifier could also lead to the Interplanetary File System (IPFS). 

When you think of IPFS, it is important to note that the company from which you bought the NFT would be running the IPFS node. So, you can clearly notice one of the foremost NFT vulnerabilities in scenarios where the platform minting the NFTs goes out of business. In such cases, you would lose access to the NFT, or the NFT might lose its value. 

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• Marketplace Security Risks

While NFTs are based on blockchain technology, they depend on centralized platforms, which help people interact with digital assets. You can find different centralized platforms such as Nifty Gateway and Open Sea as suitable portals for buying and selling NFTs. However, one of the formidable NFT vulnerabilities and security concerns emerges due to these centralized platforms. 

The centralized platforms like Nifty Gateway and Open Sea store the private keys associated with all assets on the platforms. As a result, any type of compromise in the platform would automatically imply the loss of NFTs. The example of the attack on Nifty Gateway in March shows how attackers were able to capitalize on this vulnerability. Despite the recovery of money of the victims, they were not able to recover the NFTs, thereby implying a formidable risk. 

On the other hand, it is also possible to argue in support of strong security measures on NFT marketplaces. However, strong security measures by the marketplace might not be adequate for addressing NFT security issues in using centralized marketplaces. Platform users might be responsible for exposing many other vulnerabilities in security of NFT marketplaces. Weak passwords or the lack of two-factor authentication can be some of the reasons for which users can lose their valuable NFTs. 

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• Cyber Security and Identity Fraud

The next formidable entry among NFT security concerns points towards cyber security issues and possibilities for identity fraud. One of the foremost cyber security issues noted with NFTs would refer to cryptocurrency scams. An example of such a threat has been evident in a scam involving high-volume email.

Apparently, the high volume of emails is presented as if they are being sent by Coinbase regarding suspicious activity in their Coinbase accounts. Users are asked to open an attachment in the email, which asks them to provide the password for login and verifying their account. Such scams can end up compromising the credentials of a user on an NFT platform. Malicious actors could also leverage such NFT vulnerabilities for implanting malware such as remote access Trojans in the user’s machine.

• Smart Contract Risks

Smart contracts are the most fundamental aspect in the design of NFTs and are the reason for prominent NFT security issues. As a matter of fact, smart contract risks and the concerns of NFT maintenance are notable factors you can identify in the existing NFT market. 

One of the recent incidents involving an attack on a renowned DeFi protocol, Poly Network, shows the effect of smart contracts risks on NFT security. Hackers were able to steal almost $600 million in the attack, only due to setbacks in smart contract security. Interestingly, Poly Network is not the only example showcasing NFT vulnerabilities and security concerns clearly. 

The most popular NFT project, CryptoPunks, had to face the implications of smart contract vulnerabilities in 2017. In 2017, CryptoPunks was affected by a bug that prevented the transfer of ETH into the seller’s wallet. Attackers could leverage the bug for purchasing CryptoPunks NFTs and retrieve back the money from the contract. Therefore, CryptoPunks had to launch again with a completely different and newly updated smart contract. 

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Bottom Line

Non-fungible tokens are obviously a smart evolution in the type of digital assets. They bring the benefits of uniqueness and better control over digital assets alongside the functional traits of blockchain technology. However, the NFT vulnerabilities and security concerns identified commonly can be huge setbacks for their adoption. 

On the contrary, it is completely unreasonable to dismiss NFTs only due to their security concerns and vulnerabilities. As a matter of fact, you should look for solutions that can help you obtain a better impression of NFT smart contract vulnerabilities. Furthermore, you can also depend on tools for alerts about any suspicious activities on NFT marketplaces and in your accounts. Learn more about NFTs for identifying their vulnerabilities more clearly.

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*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

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